NLFT commander Parimal Debbarma nabbed by police in Mizoram

AGARTALA: Tripura Director General of Police VS Yadav has confirmed that National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) commander Parimal Debbarma was arrested in Mizoram on Saturday.

 

The 45-year-old self-styled leader of the outlawed outfit, who headed a faction of the outlawed outfit, was produced before a court in Mizoram.

 

A team of Tripura Police officials would seek his transit remand from the Mizoram court tomorrow, the official said.

 

According to the DGP, the NLFT (Parimal Debbarma) faction was found taking ‘special interest’ in the ensuing Tripura ADC elections, now set to be held on April 6 next.

 

The official also said that some leaders of a national party are in touch with the ultras, adding that all such leaders would be interrogated.

 

Formed on March 12, 1989, with Dhananjoy Reang as its self-styled chairman, NLFT went through a series of splits.

 

Currently, a small group led by Biswamohan Debbarma is the only active wing of the outfit apart from the Parimal Debbarma-led faction.

 

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Parimal -- along with three others -- Mohan Kumar Koloi, Dayananda Tripura, and Bibhas Tripura -- had surrendered in 2014, only to commit a murder at Takarjala police station in 2017. Thereafter, he fled to Bangladesh and formed a faction called NLFT (Parimal Debbarma).

 

Yadav informed that eight cases were registered against the outfit including extortions, especially in bordering areas of Tripura.

 

He said that the Special Branch of the Tripura police had information that Parimal was staying at Aizawl in Mizoram. When the Tripura police informed the Mizoram DGP about their inputs, they picked him yesterday morning.

 

The state police said they are probing the outfit’s activities based on inputs sourced from surrendered militants, overground workers and collaborators in touch with the police.

 

According to reports, Parimal Debbarma has hideouts and supporters in Mizoram, parts of Assam and Bangladesh, DGO Yadav informed. He also said two Tripura outfits NLFT (BM) and NLFT (PD) are operating out of hideouts in Bangladesh.

 

NLFT remains the only Tripura insurgent outfit that is yet to be dissolved by a combination of counter-insurgency operations and attractive packages announced by the state government.

 

In 2019, the NLFT (BM) outfit was dealt a major blow when 88 ultras led by Commander Sabir Debbarma laid down arms before the police and BSF.